Internet marketing is just marketing… done online.
But because people love buzzwords, it usually means a mix of tactics like SEO, ads, social, email, and content.
The goal is the same: get attention → earn trust → make sales (without being annoying).
The 5 main internet marketing buckets 🪣
1) Search
Earn traffic from search engines via SEO.
2) Paid
Pay for reach with ads (Google, social, display).
3) Content
Create helpful site content that answers questions and builds trust.
4) Email
Turn visitors into subscribers (see email marketing).
5) Partnerships
Affiliates, referrals, collaborations (see affiliate).
The mistake most people make 🚩
They pick tactics before they pick a purpose.
Start with web site purpose and your site audience. Then build your plan (see web site planning).
If you don’t, you end up with random marketing activities that look busy… and do nothing.
Internet marketing FAQ 🙋
What is internet marketing?
Internet marketing is promoting products or services online using channels like SEO, ads, email, content, and social.
Is internet marketing the same as digital marketing?
Mostly, yes. Digital marketing can also include offline digital channels (like digital billboards). Internet marketing focuses on online channels.
Where should a beginner start?
Is SEO part of internet marketing?
Yes. SEO is one of the core ways to attract traffic from search engines.
How do I measure results?
Track outcomes, not vanity metrics: leads, sales, sign-ups, and cost per acquisition. Traffic is useful, but only if it turns into action.
Back to the dictionary.